Reviews

Priscilla Ederle - The Diamond Fields
Recorded at Wheeler Street Studios, Berkeley, CA Produced and recorded by Marwan Kanafani Mastered by John Cuniberti at The Plant, Sausalito, CA

Reviewer -Lisa Hart

Although it received an honorable mention in the 2001 John Lennon Songwriting Contest, “Invisible” is a rather weak start to a generally impressive CD. In this song, Priscilla Ederle's voice lacks the power of which she is capable. The song walks along with an anti-climatic melody and lyrics that hardly reveal Ederle's intelligence. But once that speed bump is past, The Diamond Fields, the second full-length release from this Bay Area artist, really starts to get going. The intimate and introspective lyrics, and the simple, frill-less beats suggest that Ederle is a folk artist, but she prefers to view herself as a spunky rocker who really knows how to tap the groove. This “groove,” moved along by an almost march-like drumbeat and vocals as endearing as Aimee Mann's, continues throughout the CD. Ederle is especially good at finding this groove and using it as her metronome, creating a solid backbone for each song. “Into Your Grave” presents a more artsy side of Ederle's style. Her free flowing vocals, which rise and fall through the octaves, are mesmerizing. Hints of Tori Amos and perhaps a touch of a more subdued Gwen Stefani abound in this song, which is both touching and thought provoking. Ederle firmly grasps her understanding of human nature and she revels this insight to the listener in her songs. Her talent overflows on The Diamond Fields, a personal album that gets its point across through a nice collection of songs.

Contact: www.priscillaederle.com

Firetrucs - Hovercraft LP
“All I Need,” “Two to be Twisted,” “Hats off (to Rivers Cuomo),” “Anthumb '02,” and “Hovercraft” recorded and mixed at Pachyderm Studio, Cannon Falls, MN Mastered by Jacques Wait Produced by Duane Burda, Brent Sigmeth, and Firetrucs “Motorcar,” “Telephone,” “No Sound,” “Downtown,” and “Breathe” recorded and mixed at Third Ear Studios in Minneapolis, MN Produced by Duane Burda, Jacques, and Firetrucs

Reviewer -Lisa Hart

This trio from the Midwest begins its Hovercraft LP with loads of energy, then morphs the sound into a more quiet, thoughtful version of rock. “All I Need” opens the CD and sets the high and hard rock standard for the next 43 minutes of music. Tony Parks, lead singer and guitarist, contributes an edgy, aggressive guitar sound, which becomes the theme for the duration of Hovercraft. His raspy, emotional voice is like a more melodic Greg Graffin. These vocals sometimes get lost, however, behind the overpowering collision of guitar and drums that join to create a wonderful noise. Edges of the songs blur together from beginning to end, as each follows a similar structure and pattern, resulting in a mostly repetitive CD. Each consists of Parks' dissonant and distant-sounding voice coupled with the consistent buzz of every guitar chord. This repetitive sound works well, though, as it spans the varying pace of the music. Towards the middle of the CD, the energy that had been building reaches a plateau and then plummets until it reaches the last song, “Breathe,” where the level of emotion remains the same. It is as though Firetrucs has gone from being maniacally happy to an ultimate low. “Hat's Off (To Rivers Cuomo),” a song that occurs before the mood swing, chronicles a painful post-break up process. “I hope it sucks / to hear The Good Life with your brand new man.” (That's the only real reference, Weezer fans). This song is a stark contrast to the oh so quiet and calm “Downtown.” The CD progresses from energetic, guitar-driven rock songs to an overall melancholy sound. The edginess is still there throughout each song, but it changes its form completely in each, making it is obvious that the band is quite capable of performing upbeat tunes as well as the more somber ones. Hovercraft effortlessly transitions from the peppy/poppy to the low-key, and that's what makes this CD work.

Contact: www.firetrucs.com

Goodbye, Blue Monday - Demo
Recorded by Gar Wood Mastering by Jon Pancoast

Reviewer -Sherry Sly

Oh, these young whippersnappers with their coy soundbites from the era of America's space race with the Soviets - only listing their first names, and numbering the four songs 25, 26, 27 and 28. With their cheekiness, Goodbye, Blue Monday's talent and confidence suggests that they'll be D.I.Y. long after they have to be. Four tracks and a bumper sticker - it doesn't get much simpler than that. Long, jangly guitar intros follow the samples and suggest Deerhoof. Actually, with the emphasis on guitars and simple lyrics repeated several times after extended intros and samples, this band reminds one a lot of Rum Diary. A quick look at their website says they've played together, so there you go. The first song, “New Religion,” sounds like something L. Ron Hubbard would have penned if he'd been an indie rocker way into gear as opposed a science fiction author way into the philosophy/religion of scientology ("Oh, all these things I can't rely on / I'll start a new religion / Oh, I'll start a new religion"). The cleverly titled second song, “Nothing's Always Wrong” is the most straightforward pop song on the list with lots and lots of guitar. Then number 27, “Last Chance for Slow Dancing,” is the most Deerhoof-y - you have to bet Goodbye, Blue Monday are really loud live. The last and longest song, “Send Help If You Can,” is almost like two songs in one. Soundbites about hearing a voice from outer space with a Russian accent blend into a sweeping instrumental that segues into chilling lyrics ("send help if you can") that sound as if they are being sung through a bullhorn - kind of a '20s feel with a '50s soundbite with purely modern indie jangle rock. Check out their website. It's cool - one of the guys in the band designed it and you can see just how into their gear they are.

Contact: www.goodbye-bluemonday.com

The Rum Diary - A Key To Slow Time EP
Recorded and Mixed at Grizzly Studios, Petaluma, California Mastered by Roger Tschann Released on Springman Records

Reviewer -Sherry Sly

Thank you, sirs. May we have another? Bring on the jangle! This release is too short, but such is the nature of EPs. More wonderfully, slightly muddy indie pop from Cotati's finest...well, I guess it's not an export if they still live there. The French are famous for their joie de vivre, which means, literally, the joy of life. But they're also famous for their melancholy, as if life can only be loved because it is put into the context that one must die. Rum Diary's music carries a similar contradictory feel, with beauty tinged with sadness and lust coupled with loss. It's new, yet it's nostalgic - and impossible to describe. How else can the first song, “The Day Dale Earnhardt Died,” which in the hands of any other band would be turned into a ditty ("I want a race car, forbidden flight/I want a race car, to rest in your sweet arms/I need a race car/I want a race car"), be such a moving song. It's the sweeping and soaring guitars and layered vocals, all pulling back for the simple three chord ending. The second song, “Sathergate,” is a 7:11 instrumental that sounds like a track to a space age flick that could go by the same name. These guys know how to build momentum, way beyond the soft-soft-soft, loud-louder formula. In “Del Toro” they capture the ennui of living in a small California town ("cause we lack potential, like no one else"), making the most confident low self-esteem (again with the contradictions!) song since Creep. Then of course, “Mileage,” the prettiest song of the year that ends in a percussion orgy. The final song, “Bright After Rain,” is a kind of Sky Cries Mary meets Death Cab For Cutie twelve-plus minute-long indie rock epic with sampled found sounds. The only problem with this EP is the lack of liner notes. Makes a reviewer paranoid about getting the lyrics of her new favorite band wrong.

Contact: www.therumdiary.com

Hello from Waveland - Strangeways
Recorded and Produced by Hello From Waveland Engineered and Mixed by Randolph and Michael Jaworski Mastered by Ed Brooks

Reviewer -Megan Miller

Versatility and craftsmanship ooze from Hello From Waveland's self-produced Strangeways. Heavy acid rock influences give the first four tracks a remarkable likeness, even though their themes differ. "Speaking4clapping" is joyful and energetic, and "Call To Complain" chides friends who complain too much. By song five, Waveland abandons this pep for darker territory. "Temptation" blandly announces this broodier mood, which dominates the next four tracks, with mixed results. The lyrics are overly clever, but the sudden slow tempo and delicate piano finish are none the less touching. Also, they transition fantastically into "Overnight Sensation" with its tortured strings and metallic irony. As the chorus repeats, staccato strumming falls in on the micro-beats and unveils the irritation beneath Michael Jaworski's strained repose. The final three songs are the strongest, and, of those, "Trains and Earthquakes" takes the cake. "Hourglass" picks up the energy once again. Jaworski may remind R.E.M. fans of a more articulate but less profound Michael Stipe. Waveland's lyrics are perfect for mainstream radio because they are poetic but never arcane. The guitars are gloomy, wistful, and surprisingly measured. Also, the vocal timbre is reminiscent of a dozen alternative radio favorites - say Hootie and the Blowfish - only more sullen. The gutsy and bittersweet flavor of "Big Beautiful House" is a strong, and so strategically wise, conclusion to this well crafted, dynamic and rangy showcase. Any track will please like punch, so dive right in.

Contact: www.hellofromwaveland.com